


Red and Blue Veins

by Doctor_Discord



Series: The Ego Manor [166]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Arguments, Blood, Break Up, Broken Engagement, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fights, Hemophilia, Pain, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22903357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Discord/pseuds/Doctor_Discord
Summary: The Host and Dr. Iplier end up in a brutal fight, and they exchange words and actions they both regret.Question is, can they repair their relationship?
Relationships: Darkiplier/Wilford Warfstache, The Host/Dr. Iplier
Series: The Ego Manor [166]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1166384
Comments: 38
Kudos: 236





	1. Chapter 1

No couple was perfect. That was a given. Everyone got into their fights. No one ever always saw eye to eye. Everyone said things they regret in an argument.

Dr. Iplier and the Host were no exception.

The whole manor could hear Dr. Iplier shouting from the second floor, right outside his own office. The Host leaned against the wall, hands jammed in his pockets, an almost _bored_ expression on his face, which clearly didn’t help calm Dr. Iplier’s fury. Though the Host clearly _fumed_ as well, going by the air rippling around him.

“God _dammit_ , Host!” Dr. Iplier hands waved wildly in frantic expression, face red with his anger. “I can’t keep fucking doing this! You _need_ to take better care of yourself, I can’t bring you back from the fucking _dead_ if you decide to let yourself _bleed_ to death because you’re too Goddamn _stubborn_ to come up when you need help!”

“The Host was _fine_ ,” he spat back. “He sees no point in this meltdown. Dr. Iplier is overreacting.”

Dr. Iplier’s face grew redder. “I am _not_ overreacting! You were practically _unconscious_ , Host, there was blood everywhere! You need to be _careful_ , you can’t exactly afford to _bleed out_ for several hours!”

The Host exuded the air of rolling his eyes, making a small scoffing sound to match. “The Host is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He doesn’t need Dr. Iplier telling him things he already knows.”

“Then fucking _act like it_ , Host!” Dr. Iplier _seethed_ , jabbing the Host pointedly in the chest. “How about you try coming upstairs of your own volition sometimes! How about you _eat a meal_ besides breakfast for once! How about you fucking _take care of yourself_ , you’re a grown-ass man, I don’t need to be dragging you around by the ear!”

“If Dr. Iplier _despises_ the work he needs to put into the Host so much,” the Host spat. “Maybe he should’ve left him in that cabin all those years ago.”

Dr. Iplier suddenly went quiet, yanking off his engagement ring and shoving it into the Host’s chest. He was too _pissed_ to care about the Host’s suddenly _heartbroken_ expression as his hands came up to catch it. “Maybe I should have,” he hissed.

Dr. Iplier spun on his heel, marching into his office and slamming the door.

He missed the tears and blood that tricked down the Host’s face as he slunk away, clutching Dr. Iplier’s engagement ring.

They _both_ missed Dark and Wilford poking their heads out of Dark’s office just down the hall. They exchanged glances, eyes wide. Wilford gestured to Dr. Iplier’s office, then pointed at himself. Dark nodded, tearing open the Void.


	2. Chapter 2

Dr. Iplier sat at his desk in his office, still seething with anger. In an effort to cool himself down, he’d decided to try and get some paperwork done, but he was _far_ too angry to concentrate on something as frustrating as paperwork, and he ended up chucking his pen across the room, slamming his forehead onto the desk. The Host was _infuriating!_ He _refused_ to take care of himself, and Dr. Iplier didn’t have time to _babysit_ his own Goddamn fiancé! Though…he supposed the Host was no longer his fiancé.

A soft knock on the door caught his attention, and Dr. Iplier’s head shot up. “ _What_ ,” he snapped. “Leave me the _fuck_ alone, Host.”

“I believe you’ve got the wrong man.” Dr. Iplier’s expression softened just a tiny bit when Wilford poked his head in, a little smile on his face. “Still want me to leave you the fuck alone?”

Dr. Iplier grumbled something under his breath, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. “I suppose you’re fine. What do you want?”

“Just to talk.” Wilford closed the door to his office, and suddenly he was sitting on the corner of Dr. Iplier’s desk, hands in his lap. His little smile fell, and something heavy settled in Dr. Iplier’s gut. “You know…Dark and I heard it all.”

Dr. Iplier scoffed. “Yeah, so did the whole manor. So what.”

Wilford raised an eyebrow, eyes flicking to Dr. Iplier’s left hand. “You’re missing your ring.”

Dr. Iplier glanced down, rubbing the base of his index finger. It felt strange to be no longer wearing a ring. “Yeah, I know. I gave it back. I don’t want it.”

Wilford’s eyebrows shot up with surprise. “You did _what?_ ”

“I don’t _want_ it!” Dr. Iplier snapped, standing. He began to pace, hands waving wildly. “He’s _infuriating!_ He _doesn’t_ take care of himself, he _doesn’t_ eat, he _doesn’t_ help with his fucking _hemophilia_. I don’t even _see_ him half the time because he spends all of his Goddamn time in his library! I get that his visions are important, but moderation is _also_ important, especially when he doesn’t _eat_ for two days in a row and _bleeds out_ because he’s _so busy!_ ” He finally drew a breath, standing still, and glanced at Wilford. He scowled. “Why the _fuck_ are you smiling?”

Wilford chuckled a little, tilting his side. “Nothing. This just sounds _very_ familiar.”

Dr. Iplier raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “I get it, I yell at him a lot.” He tangled both hands in his hair, pulling at the strands, and made a _beyond_ frustrated sound. “Just – get the _fuck_ out, Wilford, you aren’t helping, and you _can’t_ help, so just _leave!_ ”

Now Wilford was the one to raise an eyebrow. “What, are you saying I don’t understand?”

Dr. Iplier _glared_ at him. “ _Yes_ , that’s exactly what I’m saying. Now _get out_.”

Wilford didn’t move, just tilted his head the other way. “So I _don’t_ understand having a stubborn, occasionally infuriating partner who values his work over his own health, physical disability be damned?” Dr. Iplier’s eyes widened, and Wilford laughed. “Sit down, doctor. You look like you’re about to fall over.”

Dr. Iplier obediently sat heavily in his desk chair, running a hand through his hair. “…Sorry.”

Wilford just flashed a smile. “No need to apologize. Now –” He patted his thigh once, crossing his ankles from his perched position on Dr. Iplier’s desk. “What’s on your mind?”

Dr. Iplier sighed. His anger was cooling down, and now the weight of what he’d done and _God_ what he’d _said_ was settling on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. “…What am I going to _do_ , Wilford?” His voice was soft, defeated. “I rejected him, I said something _awful_ , I…” He covered his eyes with one hand, a quiet sob tearing from his throat as his other hand tugged harder at his hair, pain shooting through his scalp. “…I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t _want_ me back after that.”

“Oh poppycock!” Wilford scoffed. “He _loves_ you, more than anything. He can’t survive without you, in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Of _course_ he wants you back.”

Dr. Iplier shook his head, tears sliding out from beneath his hand. “You don’t know what I said. He won’t want me.”

Wilford sighed. “Well, I will admit, you know him better than I do. But you were _angry_. You both were. Everyone says things they regret when they’re angry. Things they don’t mean. I know _I_ have. So has Dark. The Host is a smart man, he knows you didn’t mean it.”

“Does he?” Dr. Iplier lowered his hand, revealing the mess of his red eyes and tears. “He may be smart, but he also has a very fragile, very _low_ sense of self-worth, and I –” He closed his eyes again, another sob escaping him. “I just told him I should’ve left him in that cabin.”

Wilford visibly cringed. “Ah.” He sniffed, and hopped off the desk. “Well…you won’t know unless you _talk_ to him.” He offered a little smile, holding out his hand. “A good apology does wonders, you know.”

Dr. Iplier hesitated a long moment, but took Wilford’s hand.


	3. Chapter 3

The Host closed the door to his library quietly, moving slowly down the stairs, through the maze. He moved slow, head down. Hands cradling the ring Dr. Iplier had shoved into his chest. Tears and blood ran in messy streaks down his face, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything.

_Maybe I should have._

The Host hunched his shoulders, stifling his sob. He reached his desk, and sat down. He stared at the desk for a bit, fiddling with the ring with his fingers. It’d taken him a week to finally be happy with it. He worked so hard on it…

_Maybe I should have._

The dam burst, and the Host broke down, forehead dropping to the desk as he sobbed, hands tangling in his hair. Dr. Iplier was right, he _should_ have left the Author in his cabin, then _none_ of this would’ve ever happened. He shouldn’t even _gone_ to the cabin. Then, he wouldn’t have to deal with the Host, wouldn’t have to deal with the stress, the Host should’ve _known_ better, he knew Dr. Iplier was too good for him, he probably just agreed to marry him out of pity –

“Host?”

The Host was hardly aware of his name being spoken, though he heard the soft ringing, smelled the ozone that was suddenly thick in the air. He tensed, hands curling tighter in his hair. “Go away.”

“I will not.” Dark’s hand settled on the Host’s shoulder. “Host –”

“The Host _commands_ Darkiplier _go away_.” The Host snarled his words, pouring as much power as he could muster at the moment into his words. He could feel Dark struggling against his magic, and he actually took a step back, hand sliding from the Host’s shoulder, but the Host knew that Dark would push through it. And his hand laid on the Host’s shoulder again, squeezing lightly.

“You want to talk?”

“ _No_ ,” the Host spat. He shrugged Dark’s hand away. He could taste blood in the back of his throat. “Leave the Host alone.”

Dark snorted. “Surely you’ve figured out by now that I’m not going to do that.” He squeezed the Host’s shoulder again. “I heard the fight.”

“What a surprise,” the Host deadpanned. “The Host is willing to bet they could hear Dr. Iplier all the way up in the space station.”

Dark laughed, and the Host heard him settle on his desk. Tension was thick and _heavy_ in the air, stifling. “…What happened, Host?”

“The Host thought Darkiplier _heard_ the fight.”

“I didn’t hear what ended it.”

The Host was silent. He disentangled one hand from his hair, and held up the engagement ring Dr. Iplier had so _expressly_ told him he didn’t want anymore. He heard Dark suck in a breath through his teeth, and the Host hunched his shoulders more. “…The Host believes that Dr. Iplier has broken up with him. First time in over six years the Host has been single.”

“I’m sorry.”

“The Host deserves it.” The sobs were beginning to build back up, and the Host swallowed one back. “He deserves it, he pushed Dr. Iplier, he didn’t _deserve_ Dr. Iplier in the first place, the Host just regrets that Dr. Iplier wasted so many years of his life on the Host. He could’ve found someone better for him. Someone with less issues.”

“I don’t think Dr. Iplier _wants_ anyone else, Host. He loves _you_.”

“That’s the _problem_ , isn’t it?” The Host head finally shot up, hair a mess, barely any skin on his face _not_ covered in blood. A sob tore free. “It’s the Host’s fault. The Host knew he wasn’t worthy of love before, not after the Author, but he asked Dr. Iplier out anyway, and now look! The Host was right, and he wasted Dr. Iplier’s time, Dr. Iplier will never get those six years back, and it’s all the Host’s fault.”

The Host couldn’t see the horror on Dark’s face. He couldn’t see it, but he could _feel_ it. “Host…surely you don’t actually _believe_ that. You _know_ Dr. Iplier doesn’t think that.”

Another sob was pulled from his chest, and the Host’s voice cracked. “Then why did Dr. Iplier agree he should’ve left him in that cabin?”

The Host completely broke down again, loud, gasping, _painful_ sobs ringing through his library as his forehead dropped back to his desk, desperately clutching the ring. Dark didn’t speak for a long moment, and when he did, his voice was soft. “I don’t think he meant it, Host. He would _never_ wish you were…well. He doesn’t want you dead. He was angry, is all. For good reason, though.” The Host could hear the bit of laughter in Dark’s tone. “You have to admit, you’re a _stubborn_ bastard.”

A little laugh interrupted the Host’s sobs. “So’s Dr. Iplier. The Host is nearly positive his bloodstream is made up almost entirely of coffee, and that the Host could fit and elephant in the bags under his eyes.”

Dark laughed again. “See? You two _need_ each other. You keep each other in check. He didn’t mean it, Host.” His hand returned to the Host’s shoulder. “That’s being said…you do have to _try_ , Host. His frustration is understandable. You have to compromise with him, at least not be half-dead every time he comes down here. Alright?”

The Host nodded slowly, and at that moment, the creaking of the library door opening reached their ears. The Host sat up straight, shooting a look at Dark, before fumbling through a drawer of his desk and grabbing an old, blood rag. He began frantically wiping at the blood on his face, muttering under his breath, and he got most of it before shoving the rag back into its drawer. He stood, spinning around, just in time to see Dr. Iplier and Wilford enter the library.

The Host and Dr. Iplier stared at each other for a moment. There were still tears trailing down Dr. Iplier’s cheeks, blood still dripping slowly from beneath the Host’s bandages. Dr. Iplier swallowed, and his voice came out thick and cracked. “Host –” He took a step forward, but the Host flinched, backing into his desk. Dr. Iplier stayed where he was. “Host, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, following the Author to his cabin was the best decision I ever made. I _love_ you, I love you so much, and I’m _so so sorry_ , I –”

Dr. Iplier broke down into more tears, chest convulsing with a stifled sob. The Host’s shoulders visibly dropped, and he took a single, hesitant step forward, before he was _flying_ at Dr. Iplier and tackling him in a hug. Dr. Iplier clung to the Host as if he were his lifeline, both of them sobbing, and Wilford sidled over to stand by Dark, still sitting on the Host’s desk.

“The Host’s sorry, too,” he mumbled. “He doesn’t take care of himself like he should, he knows he makes Dr. Iplier worry, and – he goaded Dr. Iplier into his um… _parting words_.” Dr. Iplier snorted out a bit of a laugh, clinging to the Host tighter. The Host smiled briefly against Dr. Iplier’s shoulder, holding him just as tightly. “The Host promises to try and be better…as long as _Dr. Iplier_ promises to _sleep_ for once in his life.”

Dr. Iplier properly laughed at that, pulling back a bit. He smiled, though tears still poured down his face, and his shoulder was bloody. “Okay. It’s a deal.” His smile softened. “Do you…still have that ring?”

The Host smiled back, nodding his head, and Dr. Iplier held out his hand. The Host was more than happy to slip the ring back onto Dr. Iplier’s finger. He kissed Dr. Iplier’s hand after, squeezing it tight. “The Host was only single for ten minutes, and can he just say, it was the _worst_ ten minutes of his life.”

Dr. Iplier laughed again, shoulders shaking as he resting his forehead against the Host’s chest. “Yeah, ditto.” He wrapped his arms back around the Host, just…holding him. “…I love you, Host. I do. With all my heart.”

The Host smiled. “The Host loves Dr. Iplier, too. More than anything.” He pressed their foreheads together, still clinging to him almost desperately. “…The Host asks they never fight again.”

Dr. Iplier pressed a hesitant, little kiss to the Host’s cheek, uncaring of blood. “Yeah. Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NGL I MADE MYSELF CRY WITH THIS ONE  
> SUNDAY IS FAR FLUFFIER THOUGH
> 
> Tumblr: doctordiscord123.tumblr.com


End file.
